Rotatable machine element.



s'ra'rns nna OFFIC.

- WILLIAM D. STEVENSON, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WEST- INGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A COBYORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

No Drawing.

To allwho1n z'tmay concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. STEVEN- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotatable MachineElements, of whi ch the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rotatable machine elements, such, for example, as gear wheels and pinions, and particularly to elements composed of fibrous material and cementitiouls binder intimately incorporated therew1t l Rotatable machine elements, such as gears and pinions,'have heretofore been formed of various non-metallic materials, such, for example, as layers ofnraw-hide and sheets of impregnated and unimpregnated textile materials, but most of such materials have been unsatisfactory because they are affected by water, oil and other solvents and for other reasons rapidly deteriorate in service. Furthermore, owing to the laminated character of such structures, the strength of the teeth is usually low, with the result that the efliciency and lifecof a gear is low.

a Attempts have been made to build up structures which would apparently meet the obections with regard to deterioration, but such structures have usually been difficult, slow and expensive to manufacture. For instance, in most cases, end plates or shrouds of metal have been employed between which the Working body portions have been held under compression, and in other cases the machine element has been cut from a body of material the shape of which is materially different from that of the final product. In both instances, the teeth and other working faces are formed wholly by cutting opera-. tions, which are laborious and expensive, and especially When metal end plates or shrouds are employed which, in addition, not only increase the cost but also tend to increase the noise of operation.- Furthermore, the cutting of the teeth often has a tendency to weakenthem somewhat.

The present invention is designed more particularly to provide machine elements which, while noiseless and having suflicient strength to insure a high deg ee of efliciency,

Specification of Letters Patent.

ROTATABLE MACHINE ELEMENT.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

/ Application filed September 20, 1916. Serial No. 121,292.

are,-'at the same time, formed of material that is substantially insoluble and of highheat-resisting qualities.

The machine element may be produced in blank form and then be cut to the size and shape desired, butI prefer to produce the element in final or substant-iallyfinal form by molding; the teeth of a gear wheel or pinion being molded at the time of molding the body portion.

I preferably employ a condensation product of phenols and formaldehyde, or their equivalents, capable of being transforme into insoluble and high-heat-resisting bodies under the action of heat, and fibrous mate rial in the form of ordinary cotton waste, fibrous cotton or asbestos, rags or other fabric, the combination being eifectedby impregnating. the fibrous material with the binder material and subjecting the combined elementsto the action of heat and pressure. The phenol and formaldehyde condensation product may be employed either in a liquid or in a dry state. When employing liquid with cotton waste, the latter may be saturated with such liquid and. then subjected to heat and pressure. The fibrous cotton or other fabric may be coated and impregnated and the excess material may then be drained off or permitted to dry, or the excess liquid may be forced out by application of pressure, With or without heat. Heat is then applied, preferably with pressure, in order to transform the prod-uct into a compact insoluble high heat resisting mass, the action preferably taking place in a mold, the interior of which conforms to the configuration of the machine element to be produced.

If the condensation product isemployed in a dry state, it will preferably be pulverized and then combined with the fibrous material, either in a shredded or in an unshredded condition. The combined materials are then placed ,in a mold and subjected to heat and pressure.

The machine elements may with metal supports positionedv at the time of formation, or provision may be made to secure such supports to the completed body portions of the elements,or, as will beobvious, the s pports may be omitted. ma m ch as 1 the elements are of such material and are so formed as to be self sustaining when sub- I jected to operatingservice conditions.

After the machine element has been thus produced, 'I preferablylagain heat the article in an oven or other container, Starting at a low'temperature ofa'bout 60 C. and gradually increasing the temperatureto approxi- 'mately 130 C.

The resulting product is noiseless, of

. high-heat resistance, ofuniform texture throughout, of great mechanical strength, is insoluble in Water, oils and most solvents,

and will notdry out or deteriorate with age.

It will be understood that machine'elements -W-hi0h are molded as hereinbefore described and are used Without having their working faces cut or smoothed by means of cutting tools will have thin protective coat-- ings of the cementitious binding material With which they fibrous material is impreghated and' coated.

-What I claim is 1. A molded gear of the indurated type and of the character described, said gear being formed from commingled and entangled fibers impregnated With condensation products of phenol andformaldehyde, with the teeth and body portion molded as a unit.

2. As an article of manufacture, a molded gear of the indurated type, said gear being formed from commingled fibers impregnated with condensation products of phenol and formaldehyde, pressed and molded to form the teethan'd body portion as a unit and. in one operation.

3. A machine element having a molded working body portion comprising a nonabrasive fibrous material and a binder.

fibrous material and entangled 8. A gear having a molded Working body portion comprising a non-abrasivwfibrous' material and a' phenolic condensation product. v

9. gear having a self-sustaining molded Working body portion comprising a nonabrasive fibrous material and a binder com- I prising a phenolic condensation product '10. Afmolded gear composed of textile fibrous material and a binder comprising a phenolic condensationproduct. 11. A molded gear composed ofcotto fibers and a binder comprising phenolic condensation products. r

12. A molded gear composed of a fibrous material and a binder, a portion of which constitutes a complete coating to resist attacks heat, oil or water under operatingconditions.

. 13. A molded gear composed of fibrous material and a binder that is unimpaired by operating temperatures.

In test-imony'whereof'l afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM-1). STEVENSON. Witnesses: i

W. Gr. Doomrrnn, i ALICE B. DICE. 

